Lost in the snowy landscape of the Painted World of Ariandel? This deadly dreamworld is home to many terrors — but you’ll only find the mildest Dark Souls 3 spoilers here.
We’re keeping things straightforward and to-the-point with our speedrun-friendly guide, designed to help you find the right directions without any superflous details.
Warning: Low-Spoilers — What do we mean by that? We won’t spoil monsters, weapons, armor, or bosses — but there will be MILD LOCATION SPOILERS. We will name locations to help you better find every shortcut / bonfire.
Walkthrough [Essential Steps Only]
These are the simple, low-spoiler steps you’ll need to take to efficiently complete the new area. This guide will not explain how to find non-essential items or how to fight bosses. This is for players that are stuck or need help navigating the twisted, dream-like frozen mountains of Ariandel.
- How to Access the DLC: Bring the Small Doll to the NPC at the Cleansing Chapel bonfire in the Cathedral of the Deep. Talk to the NPC to enter the DLC area.
- Defeat the Deacons of the Deep to gain the Small Doll.
Once you can access the DLC, start from the first bonfire. Use the steps below, or check the gallery for some quick landmarks and pointers.
- Bonfire #1: You will begin at the Snowfield Bonfire. Go down the hill — the snowy ledge will drop. Continue down and turn left to enter the Stone Tower ruins area.
- From the Stone tower, go up the hill to the left. There is another snowy ledge that will drop you into a ravine. Drop down the ledges and look left — you should now see the rope bridge leading to the massive Cathedral.
- Bonfire #2: Enter the cave near (before) stepping onto the rope bridge. This is the Rope Bridge Cave Bonfire.
- Optional: Go to the Cathedral and talk to Sister Friede to obtain the Chillbite Ring. The chapel is where you will first find the Ariandel Chapel Bonfire. There is a locked door here. You will open it later.
- There is a ladder to the left of the rope bridge, on the Rope Bridge Cave Bonfire side. Descend to reach a path to the Corvian Settlement. Follow the cliffs and drop onto the slick surface to slide down.
- Go down to the ruined wall. There is an arch you can enter to reach the brown stream. Pass beneath the infested bridge.
- Climb the ladder into the home. There is an NPC inside — go through to enter the Corvian Settlement proper. Bonfire #3 (Corvian Settlement Bonfire) is found in the house to the left, as you leave the NPC house.
- Bonfire #3: Cross the stone bridge and go up the hill. Turn right at the alley to the cliff and follow it around to the ladder that leads to the rooftops.
- The rooftop leads to a tower with an open door (cross the plank) and climb the tower ladder to another stone bridge. Follow the rampart walls to the church rooftop. Climb down the ladder and open the graveyard gates to unlock a shortcut.
- Enter the Library up the hill in the graveyard to encounter a mini-boss. Defeat him to get a new weapon and the Contraption Key [Required].
- Use the Contraption Key on the switch built into the back wall of the library. Take the stairs up into the attic. There is a disabled shortcut elevator here.
- Optional: Talk to the NPC before moving on. Open the lift shortcut in the library attic, and the NPC will return to the attic painting room in the Ariandel Chapel.
- Bonfire #4: Use the attic balcony to circle around to the Snowy Mountain Pass Bonfire. Continue up to the Bell landmark.
- Pass the small ravine and continue up. Take the narrow cliff path up (always head up) — drop down to the weak tree to create a shortcut to the crypt.
- Continue down the hill and kick down the tree near the church tower to reach the lift shortcut. Now you can easily retun to the Snowy Mountain Pass Bonfire.
- Enter the cave past the upper fallen tree shortcut to reach the crypt. Use the rickety planks against the back wall to cross the gap.
- Note: Equip the torch to remove Blood Loss.
- Drop down into the red area below the crypt. Use the crank built into a pillar. Look for two vertical chains This will open a passage in the Ariandel Chapel. Climb out of the red area using a ladder.
- Bonfire #5: Enter the archway door to continue upstairs. Go up the spiral staircase and open the doors to create a shortcut to the Ariandel Chapel Bonfire.
- BOSS: Enter through the new passage available near the Ariandel Chapel Bonfire to encounter the boss of the Painted World.
- OPTIONAL BOSS: Cut the rope bright outside the Ariandel Chapel bonfire and climb down the fallen wood planks like a ladder. Follow the root path down to find the optional boss arena.
Defeating the boss (and optional boss) will complete the main portion of the DLC. There’s still plenty to explore, including another hidden area beneath the crypt. Get help with everything else in Ashes of Ariandel with all the guides on Gameranx below.
More Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel guides, secrets, and locations:
- Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel – 12 Cryptic Details Worth Checking Out
- Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel – All New DLC Weapons | Locations Guide
- Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel – All New DLC Armor | Locations Guide
- Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel – All New DLC Spells | Locations Guide
- Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel – All New Key Items | Locations Guide
- Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel – How To Beat Every Boss | Strategies Guide
- Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel – How to Access the DLC Area
- Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel – How to Access the New PVP Area
- Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel – How to Get the Chillbite Ring
